Etienne Laprevotte (c. 1790–1856) occupies a special place in the history of guitar making for the violin-like qualities of his instruments. A successful Parisian builder of fine violins and guitars during the mid-nineteenth century, he was luthier by appointment to the Duke of Bordeaux. Today he is considered a “rare” builder, for few of his instruments have survived.
| Specifications | |
| Date | 1839 |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Length of Guitar | 965 mm |
| String Length | 650 mm |
| Upper Bout Width | 220 mm |
| Waist Width | 176 mm |
| Lower Bout Width | 310 mm |
| Side Depth at Waist | 80 mm |
| Soundboard: Spruce | Back: Maple | Sides: Maple | Details: Arched back with internal longitudinal braces giving rise to an oval-shaped soundhole. | |
Laprevotte was primarily a violin maker who built his guitars following certain principles of violin design. His maple backs, for example, are carved into an arch and lacked bindings. His most radical departure from traditional design was to abandon fan or ladder bracing in favor of two (sometimes four) longitudinal braces running the entire length of the soundboard somewhat similar to a violin’s bass bar. This arrangement gave rise to a distinctive oval sound hole—a visual trademark of his instruments.
Laprevotte’s designs were also influenced by his close association with the Paris-based Spanish guitar virtuoso Dionisio Aguado, who persuaded Laprevotte to build a larger instrument. This came to be known as the “Aguado” model. The 1839 guitar in this collection was made one year after Aguado’s own 1838 Laprevotte. It is very similar in appearance to the one depicted in Aguado’s Nuevo Método from 1843 showing his guitar supported by a “tripodison,” a device he invented to hold the guitar while playing.
Unlike his famous compatriot Fernando Sor, Aguado played with nails and advocated for an applied fretboard and a stylized bridge with separate saddle. This raised the strings from the soundboard and created additional clearance for nail playing. The extra projection produced by nails was welcomed by some, but it was damaging to gut strings. Consequently, despite the advantages, broad acceptance of nail playing would have to wait until the first durable strings made of nylon were introduced over a century later.
The soundboard is made of spruce and the back and sides of maple. The 650 mm string length of the 1839 Laprevotte is much longer than the average guitar of this period. The earlier c. 1836 Laprevotte in this collection is slightly shorter at 645 mm, with guitars by Panormo typically running 630 mm, and by Stauffer, 590 mm.
